Improvement in hoisting oyster-dredges



UNITED STATES' PATENT OEEICEQ JOSEPH WHITEOAR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOISTING OYSTER-DREDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,436, dated May 5, 1863.

To all whom fit-may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH WHI'rEoAE, of the city and county ot' Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode ot' HoistingOyster-Dredges5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction 4 and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1 is atop view of the dredge and the device for hoisting the same. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an edge view of one of the studs or jambs D attached to a portion of the boat. Fig. 4 is a modification of one of the conical Wheels A and a portion of the shaft B.

Like letters in all the figures represent the saine parts.

The nature ot my invention will be understood by the following description.

I arrange a pair of conical wheels, A A, on a shaft, B, Whosejournals O O turn in the studs or jambsD D, which' project above the large diameters ofthe wheels as guides for the bottom side pieces, E E, of the dredge F, which rests upon the Wheels as the dredge is drawn into the boat. The said wheels A A are of sufiicient diameter on their large straight parts a, a to cause the dredge to be so 'far elevated above the shaft B that the teeth b b b b b shall lnot strike against the shaft B as they pass over the Sallie.

Instead of having' the two Wheelson the same shaft, they may be placed on short independent shafts, if desired, by having' additional bearings for their inside journals; and instead of having high jambs D D, as represented, the wheels may be constructed With a flange, c, as represented in Fig. 4, to act as guides instead ot' the jambs.

I have represented the dredge as made in the usual way, but do not contine myself particularly to that construction, but con template extending the side pieces, E E, beyond the teeth b ot' the dredge, so as to rest upon the Wheels A A after the teeth have passed over the shaft B, instead of having the parts d d to come upon the Wheels or there may be stationary pieces placed in front of the wheels for the ends of the shafts E E to slide upon after they have left the Wheels. The said stationary pieces may be horizontal or inclined, and instead of having them fast in their places they may be portable, and of suftleientlength to act as skids to take the dredge some distance on the boat or vessel, it' desired.

It will readily be seen that when the front part of the dredge is drawn over the shaft B untilit arrives at the position it assumes in Figs. l and 2, with the side pieces, E E, resting on the small part of the cone ofthe wheels A A, the said side pieces or shafts, E E, will come on the large straightparts aaot' the wheels at the same time, and be guided laterally by the studs or jambsD D,\vhich are placed just so far apart as to allow the dredge to pass between them easily.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of theimproved mode ot'hoistin g 'oyster-dredges as invented or improved by me, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Oonstructing and arranging a pair of conical wheels, substantially as described, in combination with an oyster or other dredge, for the purpose above set forth.

In testimony that the above is my invention I have hereunto set my hand and afxed my seal this 21st day of February, 1863.

JOSEPH VVHITEGAR. [Ls] Witnesses STEPHEN UsTIoK, GEORGE HAVEMYER. 

